Publisher's Summary

Expanded, updated, and more relevant than ever, this bestselling business classic by two internationally renowned management analysts shows how companies of any size in any industry can seize opportunities in the post-bubble economy.

Instead of constantly reinventing business models, lean thinkers go back to basics by asking what the customer really perceives as value. The next step is to line up value-creating activities for a specific product along a value stream while eliminating activities (usually the majority) that don't add value. Then the lean thinker creates a flow condition in which the design and the product advance smoothly and rapidly at the pull of the customer (rather than the push of the producer). Finally, as flow and pull are implemented, the lean thinker speeds up the cycle of improvement in pursuit of perfection. The first part of this book describes each of these concepts and makes them come alive with striking examples.

Lean Thinking clearly demonstrates that these simple ideas can breathe new life into any company in any industry in any country. But most managers need guidance on how to make the lean leap in their firm. Part II provides a step-by-step action plan, based on in-depth studies of more than fifty lean companies in a wide range of industries across the world.

Even those readers who believe they have embraced lean thinking will discover in Part III that another dramatic leap is possible by creating an extended lean enterprise for each of their product families that tightly links value-creating activities from raw materials to customer.

In Part IV, an epilogue to the original edition, the story of lean thinking is brought up-to-date with an enhanced action plan based on the experiences of a range of lean firms since the original publication of the book.

There is some good content here. I suppose. There's got to be, because Womack's work has been so influential with very smart people.
BUT, this is the best example I know of why you want a professional reader. Womack's narration is like a lethargic robotic toad reading aloud a tax return form. And I think this abridgement misses some of the good stuff. I was very motivated to learn about Lean Thinking, but still I could hardly listen to it. Avoid.

18 of 19 people found this review helpful

Phillip

Fort Worth, TX, USA

16/08/03

Overall

"Good info, BORING listen"

Womacks voice is possibly the worst narration I have come across. The information is exceptional, but is almost impossible to assimilate because of his voice. If ever there was an argument for authors hiring professional readers, it is this book.

21 of 25 people found this review helpful

Allen

Norman, OK, USA

4/12/03

Overall

"Content that Will Transform Your Business"

I have been part of supply chain management software support of a long time now and have gone through the various phases mentioned in the book. I've developed software to "optimize" the islands of production described and worked with others who would seek to "optimize" safety stocks. All because the process is broken -- we don't look at the entire value chain.

This is a must listen (probably to be followed up with a must-read book) for those seeking to transform their business or establish a new business.

My favorite passage is thoughts on low cost geographies and where to position fabrication facilities. The only time (according to the author) it makes sense to location production in low cost geographies? The product is overwhelmingly ruled by cost *AND* there is sufficient stability to create very accurate forecasts. Even then, you must consider exhange rate variances and political (here and abroad) variances.

Overall, this is an excellent listen. Additional literature is available, but I haven't found any follow-up listens on audible.com.

6 of 8 people found this review helpful

Matttrach

15/06/16

Overall

Performance

Story

"great book!"

Lots of information, I had to listen to chapters many times to fully understand the concepts. All of the information was pertinent though and clearly expressed, just hard to wrap your head around.

1 of 1 people found this review helpful

DM

Houston

18/04/16

Overall

Performance

Story

"No full book"

What could have made this a 4 or 5-star listening experience for you?

This audiobook is not the full book. There are missing some important chapter from the book. The audio is not good, The author is a good writer but not as good narrater

1 of 1 people found this review helpful

Ninos Youkhana

Skokie, IL, United States

4/04/13

Overall

Performance

Story

"It does not cover the entire book"

I don't like audio books that don't cover the entire book. This is one of those audio books that you can't follow with the book

1 of 1 people found this review helpful

Robyn

12/07/17

Overall

Performance

Story

"Great Book! But the reading is very boring"

What made the experience of listening to Lean Thinking the most enjoyable?

Great info

Any additional comments?

The book has great content! The reading is very boring...I wanted to sleep while listening to it....Hope they will change to another pro reader to make the book 10 times easier to listen to.

0 of 0 people found this review helpful

Jon

16/03/17

Overall

"Not happy"

Half of the book is missing or out of order, not worth the money. Was using for research purposes but lost convince of the book missing.

0 of 0 people found this review helpful

Steven

22/02/17

Overall

Performance

Story

"Not the same as the hard book"

Would you consider the audio edition of Lean Thinking to be better than the print version?

I like this version more than the hard book because the 2nd half of the book is only 2 chapters and gets to the point. The audio also combines two chapters into one (chap 11+ 15). However, the hard book has the examples, so if you want to see the lessons taught here in action, you will want the hard book.

0 of 0 people found this review helpful

LambeauLeap04

15/10/16

Overall

Performance

Story

"Lean Thinking"

An absolute classic and must have for any business book shelf (or digital library). Highly recommended

0 of 0 people found this review helpful

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Antony

invergordon, United Kingdom

30/05/10

Overall

"Lean management"

This book would certainly benefit from some lean management, it takes four hours to say what could be said in about an hour and a half! If you have any interest in producing an aluminium cola can then you are very fortunate as the author takes about twenty minutes describing the full process...it's painful!

Having said that, I am probably being a little over critical because I was hoping for a strategic overview of the main principles and not a detailed operational step by step description.

2 of 2 people found this review helpful

Darragh Woods

25/01/15

Overall

Performance

Story

"Great book but someone else should have narrated"

I am very much an admirer of James Womacks work. having read this before I got the audio book to brush up. James Woman should not have narrated it himself. He is unfortunately monotonous to listen to.

1 of 1 people found this review helpful

Big__Al

3/12/09

Overall

"Buy it, Read it, Live it"

Fantastic introduction to Lean systems - would recomend it to anyone.

0 of 0 people found this review helpful

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